*Applications Failing Left and Right*

[koko]

hopefully all you ntfs.org gurus can help me out with a recurring problem...

several weeks ago, i noticed that applications (IE, OE, photoshop 7.0, steam, etc.) started failing (window accouncing that "this program has encountered a problem and needs to close" pops up). sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.

i'm behind a router with a built-in firewall and i have avg anti virus (fully updated) running constantly. i've done 2 virus scans in the last 2 days and have come up clean.

i recently purchased another stick of ram. could this be the problem?

just wondering if i should look elsewhere first instead of testing the ram out.

*specs in case they're needed: amd 1.53ghz, 1.5gb sdram (3 sticks of 512mb - one is new as mentioned above), sndblaster live 5.1 gamer, gf fx 5600 ultra 128mb, 40gb western dig, 80gb western dig, linsys nic, 16x dvd, 12x hp 9500 cdrw.

 

[muzikool]

This doesn't seem to be something that would be virus related. I would highly suggest removing the new stick of RAM and testing out the apps, because that is a pretty major change that could cause these problems. It doesn't make sense to wait and test this if in fact it turns out to be the problem.

 

[koko]

rgr. sounds like a plan. i was planning on testing the ram, but was just wondering if i should try something else first.

i'm gonna remove that new stick and see what happens. thnx for your input.

 

[muzikool]

Sure thing. I figure you may as well test the RAM since there's a good possibility that's the problem, before going through the headaches of other tests that give you no results.

 

[koko]

i took out that stick and guess what....problems cleared up immediately.

needless to say, that stick is on it's way back to the RMA center. hopefully in a few weeks, they'll send me a free replacement.

 

[coathanger007]

You have 1.5GB RAM. Windows 9x has problems with this. See
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q253/9/12.ASP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q184447
Very rarely will the RAM be faulty. Could be timing issues as well.